1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the control of motor vehicle engine speed during a braking period, and more particularly to automatic control of vehicle engine speed during a vehicle braking period in which the vehicle is stopped, and subsequently during the transition time from when the vehicle brake pedal is released to when the vehicle again begins to move.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional engine automatic speed control apparatus economizes fuel and improves exhaust emissions when, for example, an automobile stops at an intersection during city-street driving, by automatically stopping, and thereafter restarting the engine under predetermined conditions. Accordingly, the engine automatic speed control apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 9-209790 restarts an engine from a stopped state by causing release of a brake condition prior to operation of the accelerator pedal.
However, in some cases, sufficient engine output is not obtained when the accelerator pedal is operated after the brake is released. Thus, it would be desirable to increase engine speed to a sufficient output level before the accelerator pedal is depressed. In particular, in a vehicle having an automatic transmission with a torque converter, it may be difficult to perform travel known as creeping, wherein the vehicle moves slowly when the shift lever is in the "Drive" position even when the accelerator pedal is not depressed.